Mildred Huie Wilcox, standing, and her mother, Mildred Nix Huie, were honored last week by the College of Coastal Georgia in Brunswick with the naming of the Huie-Wilcox Gallery in the permanent collection of the college, “Coastal Visions.”

BRUNSWICK, Ga.

Mildred Huie Wilcox, standing, and her mother, Mildred Nix Huie, were honored last week by the College of Coastal Georgia in Brunswick with the naming of the Huie-Wilcox Gallery in the permanent collection of the college, “Coastal Visions.”

“Monet’s House” by Mildred Hix Huie

“Cannons Point” by Mildred Nix Huie

— The College of Coastal Georgia honored the legacy of Mildred Nix Huie and her daughter, Mildred Huie Wilcox, by opening the Huie-Wilcox Gallery on campus last month.

The gallery will house the permanent collection of the College of Coastal Georgia, entitled “Coastal Visions.”

Mildred Nix Huie (1907-2000) was the 1949 Woman of the Year in Albany before moving to St. Simons Island. She was an impressionist painter, sculptor, teacher, historian, writer and founder of the Left Bank Art Gallery.

Huie was one of the founders of Albany Junior College (now Darton College), started the local Easter Seals chapter and worked with The Albany Herald and WALB-TV.

Her life-sized soft sculptures of people were featured on the CBS television show “60 Minutes,” and her work, collections and memorabilia are on display in her former home, the Mediterranean House, now the Mildred Huie Plantation and Landmark Museum.

Huie’s daughter, Mildred Huie Wilcox, continues to operate the Left Bank Art Gallery, bringing more than 250 special art exhibits to the community over the past 40 years.

The former fashion model who graced the runways of New York City, Paris and Rome is a prolific writer and raconteur; art advocate, instructor and collector; and a civic leader who serves on boards, committees and foundations for the region’s arts and cultural organizations as well as the local and state chambers of commerce.

“A great pleasure in my life was watching my mother paint. Additionally pleasurable — and an unforgettable moment — was having lunch with Picasso, Miro, Cocteau and Massa in Rome, Italy, as they sketched on a table cloth,” Wilcox said. “Being around these talents inspired me to create life in the arts, but recently, the most rewarding event was when Dr. (Valerie) Hepburn told me the college wanted to honor mother and me by dedicating the Huie-Wilcox Gallery.”

Calling art “the blueprint of civilization,” Wilcox said she hopes the gallery will benefit coastal Georgia.

“With the opening of the gallery, we begin another chapter for the future of the arts in our community,” she stressed. “My vision is to make this an outstanding and unique gallery. Artistic collaboration, creativity and communication are my long-term goals. I foresee generous and outstanding art collections that will continue to grow as we all come together, fostering deeper support for the arts.”

College President Valerie A. Hepburn said the honor was long overdue.

“Mildred Huie Wilcox and her mother have served as the bedrock for visual arts in this community. They have also been staunch supporters of this college since its founding. Honoring the two Millies with the first public gallery in Glynn County during this year of celebration is truly appropriate,” Hepburn said. “The magnificent collection that will be on permanent display in the gallery was originally curated by Millie Wilcox in 2009, showcasing the extraordinary talents and generosity of the residents of Coastal Georgia. We are incredibly excited to be able to share this with everyone in our community.”

The Huie-Wilcox

Gallery on the campus

of the College of Coastal Georgia is located in the lobby of the Hargett Building, One Campus Drive, Brunswick.